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As the New York Yankees continued their momentum to start the season, boasting the best record in the American League after an 11-3 victory Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles, they had a big decision to make by the end of the day.
What should we do about shortstop Anthony Volpe, a polarizing figure among fans whose rehabilitation mission has ended?
While Volpe recovered from left shoulder surgery, Jose Caballero, acquired by the Yankees last season, did more than just play a serviceable shortstop. He has progressed into clutch positions while being a smooth glove at one of the most important positions on the diamond.
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Anthony Volpe of the Somerset Patriots pitches during a minor league baseball game at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ on May 1, 2026. (Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto)
As a result, the Yankees made the decision not to reinstate Volpe to the team, but instead optioned the 25-year-old to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
“Caballero is playing really well and playing really well,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees’ win Sunday, according to ESPN. “That complicates things.”
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Caballero has been the Yankees’ primary shortstop in 34 games this season and has performed well with the regular at-bats, which are typically toward the bottom of the lineup. He’s slashing .259/.306/.405 with a .711 OPS, four homers and 12 RBIs thus far.
Meanwhile, Volpe went 11 for 44 (.250) in his 13 minor league rehab games, mostly with the Double-A Somerset Patriots.
Volpe ended up having shoulder surgery on October 14, after the Yankees were eliminated from the MLB playoffs by the Toronto Blue Jays, the team that won the American League pennant.
New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe throws the ball to first base for an out during the eighth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
But the injury bothered Volpe throughout the season. He received a cortisone injection in his shoulder during the All-Star break and then again on September 10 after the injury worsened.
Volpe then hit .212/.272/.391 with a .663 OPS in 153 games for New York, hitting 19 home runs and scoring a career-high 72 RBIs. However, fans had issues with Volpe’s lack of consistency at shortstop, totaling 19 errors, which was the third most in the league at the position.
Volpe was the Yankees’ first-round pick in the 2019 MLB Amateur Draft, and after experiencing early success in the minor leagues, he debuted in 2023 as the team’s starting shortstop after spring training.
After hitting 21 home runs, despite hitting just .209 with a .283 on-base percentage, the Yankees liked what they saw from their 22-year-old shortstop who was also named a Gold Glover that season.
Anthony Volpe of the Somerset Patriots takes the field during a minor league baseball game at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ on May 1, 2026. (Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto)
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That’s not to say Volpe is going to spend the 2026 season in the minors, but the Yankees aren’t going to change things as they remain hot.
In the meantime, Volpe will use his Triple-A hitters and reps at shortstop to prepare for when the Yankees eventually bring him back to the bigs.
